THERE IS A GENERAL SENSE OF ECONOMIC contentment in the
state - particularly in the metro region - that appears to be
buoying gubernatorial candidates' plans for economic development.
Mike Freeman's proposals include funding for education and job
training to help prepare the future workforce of the state.

Freeman says, he's committed to those businesses and
industries that have ties to Minnesota.

Freeman: Those in the natural
resources area... direct reduction of steel in the Iron
Range, directed towards agriculture, because we're going to
have crops grown here and how we add value to our crops
here.

Some Minnesota farmers are in trouble because of low crop
prices and natural disasters.

Freeman says the prices farmers are being paid for their crops
don't cover the cost of production or provide any kind of return on their
investment.

Freeman: And we're not going to
have economic prosperity in rural agriculture areas with $2.10
corn or $4.25 beans. We need to work with the federal government to improve
markets - markets overseas - and a return on investment for our
farmers.

Freeman's plan to boost family farms includes a moratorium on
large scale corporate feedlots. He says more study is needed over
their impact on local economies and the environment.

Housing is another issue linked to economic development.
Freeman says there needs to be more affordable housing for
workers.

Freeman: Because as I have
travelled over two hundred different cities in Minnesota over
the last two years, one of the biggest barriers to economic
development is a lack of housing, and there are a number of
things we can do to enhance that. We also have to have
affordable housing and available housing near where
development is occurring.

That means in urban areas where Freeman says the clean-up and
revitalization of vacant polluted lands in cities is helping
create new business and industry ventures.

Freeman: And building housing
nearby where people can walk to work, or it's a short bus ride,
makes a lot more sense than building massive new highways and
wastewater treatment facilities in far-flung suburbs where
people have a 15 to 45 minute commute.

On the contentious issue of public funding for private sports
stadiums, Freeman opposes it. He says it's one issue that defines
him from his potential November opponent - St.Paul Mayor Norm
Coleman.

Freeman: He spent $95 million
building hockey luxury suites, in excess of a
$100 million to move a software company from one side
of the Mississippi River to the other. Both of those would
not have occured if Mike Freeman were governor.

Coleman says his opponents are distorting his record on
economic development and exaggerating his views on sports stadiums
in particular.

But in an ad that began airing today in northeastern
Minnesota, Freeman attacks Coleman. He pits concerns of the
working class against the business interests of the metro region.

Ad: Other politicians
want to spend your tax dollars to build luxury stadiums in
the cities. That's wrong. I'll say no to billionaire
owners and yes to the working families of Northeast
Minnesota.

Another economic development plan Freeman is proposing for
rural Minnesota is the relocation of some state functions and
services. For example, the financial operations of taxpayer
services could be relocated from St. Paul, much like the Revenue
Department's partial move to Ely.

This weekend Freeman will join the other DFL candidates
during a debate staged at the Minnesota State Fair. Then, a few
days leading up to the primary, he'll board a yellow school bus
with his family and travel the state linking economic development
to other issues, like health care and education.